KIMBERLEY, Ontario — An abandoned Canadian ski resort is getting a major financial boost in its transformation back into forest as the Ontario government is committing $1 million to help restore the former Talisman Mountain Resort.
The provincial government announced the funding Friday, October 30, supporting the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s effort to convert the long-shuttered ski area into the Talisman Forest Nature Reserve.
The project will involve demolishing abandoned resort buildings, removing old ski lifts, planting native trees across former ski slopes and restoring wildlife habitat along the Niagara Escarpment.
The new funding, totaling $1 million Canadian, will come through Ontario’s Species Conservation Program and be delivered to the conservancy through the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
Former Ski Resort to Become Protected Forest
Talisman Mountain Resort opened in 1963 and was once a popular skiing destination in Ontario’s Beaver Valley. The resort closed in 2011 and remained abandoned for more than a decade, with its deteriorating buildings and chairlift infrastructure still standing.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy purchased the former resort property in 2025 and announced plans to permanently protect the land rather than attempt to revive the ski operation.
The organization describes the broader protected property as 134 acres, while Ontario’s latest announcement identifies 123 acres of ecologically significant land included in the restoration project.
The restoration plans moved closer to reality earlier this month when local officials abandoned a proposed heritage designation process that could have delayed demolition of the old resort buildings.
Now, with an additional $1 million in government funding, the conservancy has received another substantial contribution toward its ambitious rehabilitation project.
Ski Slopes Will Be Replanted With Native Trees
One of the project’s primary goals is to restore the forest canopy that was cleared decades ago to create the resort’s ski trails.
The conservancy plans to plant native trees and vegetation across the former slopes, remove invasive species and restore habitats for birds, pollinators and other wildlife. The work will help reconnect forest habitat along the Beaver Valley, where the former ski terrain currently creates a large opening in the surrounding woodland.
The project will also permanently protect approximately 0.6 miles of the Bruce Trail, providing continued public access to a section of one of Canada’s best-known hiking routes.
“This vital investment from the provincial government is a powerful testament to what can be achieved when vision aligns with conservation action,” said Michael McDonald, CEO of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
The organization is working toward a $7.5 million fundraising goal to support the property’s protection, demolition, environmental restoration and long-term stewardship.
What’s Next for the Abandoned Ski Resort?
Although the latest funding represents a significant step forward, the transformation will not happen overnight.
The conservancy is still working through the permitting process with local officials before removing the remaining resort buildings and ski infrastructure. Once demolition and cleanup are completed, large-scale reforestation and other ecological restoration efforts can proceed.
The property’s future marks a significant departure from its decades as a winter sports destination. Instead of chairlifts carrying skiers uphill, the former Talisman Mountain Resort will eventually serve as a permanently protected natural area where visitors can explore the landscape on foot.
For longtime skiers who remember Talisman, the remaining resort infrastructure will disappear. For the Bruce Trail Conservancy, the $1 million commitment brings the organization closer to returning a substantial portion of the former ski mountain to forest.
